The Boston Red Sox are now in the mix to re-sign Stephen Drew after Ryan Dempster announced that he will not pitch in the upcoming 2014 MLB Season.
Reports indicated that Demspter's decision to sit out next season will likely force the Red Sox to re-sign Drew in hopes of having additional veteran presence to their team.
Drew, who rejected a $14.1-million qualifying offer tendered by the Red Sox in November, is reportedly seeking a long-term contract, but he will be amenable to a lucrative one-year deal. With Dempster's salary off the books for next season, the Red Sox now have enough room to offer a big-money contract to the 30-year-old shortstop.
"Dempster's break from baseball saves the Red Sox from paying the pitcher $13.5 million - money that they could spend on Drew, the league's top free-agent shortstop," Brendan Kuty of NJ.com reported.
According to the Boston Globe, Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington has been closely monitoring Drew's situation, with reports indicating the Cherington has been in touch with Drew's agent Scott Boras over the past several weeks.
Drew could also have no other choice but to lock himself up with the Red Sox again.
The eight-year veteran recently engaged in talks with the New York Mets. The Mets expressed strong interest in acquiring Drew, but the team suddenly backtracked after the slugger reportedly asked for an opt-out clause after his first season with the Mets.
Reports also suggested that the New York Yankees could sign Drew to a long-term deal after shortstop Derek Jeter announced his plan to retire after next season. However, Yankees executives quashed the rumors, saying that the team has no plan to add another shortstop this offseason.
Sources added that the draft pick attached to Drew has been discouraging teams. With Drew's rejection of Boston's qualifying offer, the team that will sign him will be forced to give up their highest unprotected pick to the Red Sox.
"Drew rejected a $14.1-million, one-year qualifying offer from Boston in November. The move has seemed to make him less attractive to clubs other than the Red Sox. Since he turned the deal down, if a different team signs him it will have to give Boston its highest unprotected draft pick," Kuty added.
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